


Cold Shower

by miniaturemice



Category: The Outsiders - S. E. Hinton
Genre: Brothers, F/M, Growing Up, Sexual Tension
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-06-21
Updated: 2012-06-21
Packaged: 2017-11-08 05:57:53
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,660
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/439911
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/miniaturemice/pseuds/miniaturemice
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>"Well, it certainly looks like Ponyboy could use one." Steve cracked.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Cold Shower

Pony

Glory, it was cold.

I ran as fast as I could to get back home before I got soaked to the bone. Which would not take so long,considering I was already soaked to the skin. As my feet splashed in and out of the puddle and the rain pounded its beat in my ears, I was thinking about how much fun it would be to run in the rain if rain wasn't so wet. But then again, rain _is_ wet, basically ruling out the fun. I think real strange things sometimes when I run. I shivered, the cold of the rain down my back was starting to get to me. I'd forgotten my shirt at Cathy's place as I'd beat it out of there when I heard her parents come in the front door. I'd accidentally left my belt as well. It basically resulted in me running shirtless and nearly pants-less with only a jacket for warmth and too-cold jeans. My jeans were slipping down without a belt to hold 'em up. I hoped the gang wouldn't notice anything was amiss. But what was the chance of that? If it wasn't Darry, it was going to be Steve who noticed. Darry and Soda would probably be home as it was well into the evening and nearly dinnertime, anyway. 

I glanced up. The sky was a gloomy gray, strangely enough. It was summer but we were getting far more than our fair share of rainy days.

"Pony. You're late," Darry tossed a towel at me as I came in.

"Sorry. I lost track of time at Cathy's." I toweled off before sitting on the couch where Soda was dealing cards with Steve.

"Hey kid, what happened to your shirt?" Steve nodded at me.

I looked own, cursing inwardly. I knew my game was up.

"Left it at school?" I timidly asked.

"Try again," Soda laughed.

"Left it at Cathy's." I admitted reluctantly. It sounded incriminating but I couldn't think of a better lie.

Soda turned to look at me, face forward and his mouth was open in surprise. He closed it and opened it again, about to say something when Two-Bit burst in.

"Whew. Nothing like a good, refreshing cold shower," he announced with a flourish.

"Well, it certainly looks like Ponyboy could use one." Steve cracked and I could feel my face burning up as I tried to stammer a coherent reply out.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Darry appeared in the doorway. "Dinner's ready, guys."

We all sat down at the table. I cringed under Steve's knowing smirk. "Bit young for it, aren't you?" he shot. I glared at him as the rest of us helped to the potatoes. Darry cleared his throat, getting ready to say something.

**Darry  
**

I cleared my throat, uncomfortable at the suggestion Steve was making. I mean, Pony was still fifteen, he wouldn't...would he?

_"How old were you, Darrel?"_ A snide voice asked me in my mind.

I glanced at Pony, his face was crimson red. I noticed to my surprise, he had a line of hair running from his chest down, where it disappeared into his jeans. When had that happened? And was that hair on his face? Soda's voice brought me out of my reverie.

"Pony. You're not sleeping with Cathy, are you?" he asked.

Pony visibly cringed, clearly not at ease at the way things were going.

" 'Cause if you were, you'd tell me...right?" Pony looked at him, it was the kind of stare I'm not very good at reading but I guess Soda got it (he always does) because he leaned over and ruffled Pony's hair.

"All right. All right. Later," he said and that practically confirmed it.

I opened my mouth, reluctant to say it but I had to force the words out.

_**Soda** _

"So, uh. She your first, Pone?"

Two-Bit cut off whatever Darry was about to say. I swiveled my head back to Pony so fast, I swore it cracked. Pony was bright red, all around his neck and ears. His voice was high-pitched as he answered,

"Aw. C'mon, Two-Bit, You don't have to know."

"I guess that answers it then eh?"

Two-Bit joked and we all laughed, even Pony , if a bit embarrassed.

Darry was looking at Pony with this weird look on his face and I wondered what he was going to say before. He wouldn't say it now, I knew. Dar was like that. Keeping stuff to himself. If it hadn't been for that time I found all those red bills in the drawer, I wouldn't have known how bad off we really were. That was when I quit school to help him out. He wasn't happy with me, he yelled at me at first before we reached a compromise, that Pony would never have to do this. Work his fingers off the way we did. But it's okay. Truthfully, I was a lot happier working at the DX where I could get money and not feel so lousy about my marks. Pony would never be happy doing what I do. He was a dreamer, a thinker. Not somebody who would be happy cleaning up after others. I think Pony understood us better now after that night in the park though. He certainly got along better with Darry. I don't think this would have ever come up back then but then again Pony wasn't fifteen then, was he? And he was growing up, he would have...sooner or later...I turned red, embarrassed for even thinking that.

I stopped outside and grunted. This damned trash bag was heavy. Why the hell does Darry always wait a few days before throwing the trash out? I looked up at the sky, the moon was full, a shiny ball hanging above me in the dark. I just looked at it and thought. Did Johnny ever do this? Did Dallas? I bet Johnny did. You can't be close to Pony and not do this thinking thing Pony always did. I doubt Dallas did. It's just...god, why did this even matter? Everything was so meaningless. Who died and who didn't. We're all going, one day. We're all going. Just going.

"Soda. You there?" a voice called out and I whipped around in time to see Darry come out.

"I wondered what was taking you so long," he walked over. 

"What's wrong, little buddy?" he asked, slinging an arm across my shoulder.

**Darry**

Soda shrugged and my arm went along for the ride.

"I'm worried about Pony," I said softly.

"You too?"

"Yeah. Are you?"

"Of course. He's just a kid, Dar."

"I know but it's just...I don't know, it's like he isn't anymore or is already not." I tried to put my jumbled feelings into words but ended up confusing myself more.

"I dig but he's still him. Just 'cause he's into girls and all doesn't mean a thing. It's not like he'll run out on us."

I stayed quiet. How did he know so quickly that was what I was afraid of?

"You're not serious, Darry? Pony would never. He wouldn't."

Soda shook his head, utterly convinced in his belief.

"I know, Soda.But little buddy, I can't help worrying."

"He's still a kid, Dar."

"And even if he isn't, he'll always still be our kid brother huh?"

"Exactly. You savvy real good sometimes, big brother."

"I try." I smiled.

As we walked back together, the door swung open and Two-Bit's face grinned at us.

"What took you ladies so long? Guess what I found!"

Steve stood behind him, dangling a note in his hand. "No one's home today. Meet at my house?" he spoke in falsetto, smirking at Pone.

Pony glared at him,looking ready to punch. "Ah, leave Pony alone, Steve. He ain't a kid so much anymore." I said, ruffling Pony's hair.

Pony turned to me, surprised before breaking out into a wide smile and cracked, "Yeah. But still. I'll always be your kid brother no matter what, unfortunately."

I squeezed him by the shoulders then and tried to ignore the strain in my chest., it was cold.

I ran as fast as I could to get back home before I got soaked to the bone. Which would not take so long considering I was already soaked to the skin. As my feet splashed in and out of the puddle and the rain pounded its beat in my ears, I was thinking about how much fun it would be to run in the rain if it were not so wet. But then again rain is wet, basically ruling out the fun. It was cold and I shivered. I'd forgotten my shirt at Cathy's place as I'd beat it out of there when I heard her parents come in the front door and I'd accidentally left my belt as well. Resulting, in me running shirtless and nearly pants-less with only a jacket for warmth and too-cold jeans. I hoped the gang wouldn't notice anything was amiss. Darry and Soda would probably be home as it was well into the evening and nearly dinnertime, anyway.

I glanced up. The sky was a gloomy gray, strangely enough, here in summer, we were getting far more than our fair share of rainy days.

"Pony. You're late." Darry tossed a towel at me as I came in. "Sorry. I lost track of time at Cathy's." I toweled off before sitting on the couch where Soda was dealing cards with Steve. "Hey kid, what happened to your shirt?" Steve nodded at me. I looked own, cursing inwardly. " Left it at school?" I timidly asked. "Try again." Soda laughed. "Left it at Cathy's." I admitted reluctantly. It sounded incriminating but I couldn't think of a better lie. Soda turned to look at me, face forward and his mouth was open in surprise. He closed it and then opened it again, about to say something when Tow-Bit burst it. "Whew. Nothing like a good, refreshing cold shower." He announced with a flourish. "Well, it certainly looks like Ponyboy could use one." Steve cracked and I could feel my face burning up as I tried to stammer a coherent reply out.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Darry appeared in the doorway. "Dinner's ready, guys."

We all sat down at the table. I cringed under Steve's knowing smirk. "Bit young for it, aren't you?" he shot. I glared at him as the rest of us helped to the potatoes. Darry cleared his throat, getting ready to say something.

Darry

I cleared my throat, uncomfortable at the suggestion Steve was making. I mean, Pony was still fifteen, he wouldn't...would he?

"How old were you, Darryl?," a snide voice asked me in my mind.

I glanced at Pony, his face was crimson red and I noticed to my surprise, he had a line of hair running from his chest down, where it disappeared into his jeans. When had that happened? And was that hair on his face? Soda's voice brought me out of my reverie. "Pony. You're not sleeping with Cathy, are you?" he asked. Pony visibly cringed, clearly not at ease at the way things were going. " 'Cause if you were, you'd tell me...right?" Pony looked at him, it was the kind of stare I'm not very good a t reading but I guess Soda got it(he always does) because he leaned over and ruffled Pony's hair. "All right. All right. Later." he said and that practically confirmed it. I opened my mouth, reluctant to say it but I had to force the words out.

Soda

"So, uh. She your first, Pone?"

Two-Bit cut off whatever Darry was about to say. I swiveled my head back to Pony so fast, I swore it cracked. Pony was bright red, all around his neck and ears. His voice was high-pitched as he answered,

"Aw. C'mon, Two-Bit, You don't have to know."

"I guess that answers it then eh?"

Two-Bit joked and we all laughed, even Pony , if a bit embarrassed.

Darry was looking at Pony with this weird look on his face and I wondered what he was going to say before. He wouldn't say it now, I knew. Dar was like that. Keeping stuff to himself. If it hadn't been for that time I found all those red bills in the drawer, I wouldn't have known how bad off we really were. That was when I quit school to help him out. He wasn't happy with me, he yelled at me at first before we reached a compromise, that Pony would never have to do this. Work his fingers off the way we did. But its okay. Truthfully I was a lot happier working at the DX where I could get money and not feel so lousy about my marks. Pony would never be happy doing what I do. He was a dreamer, a thinker. Not somebody who would be happy cleaning up after others. I think Pony understood us better now after that night in the park though. He certainly got better with Darry. I don't think this would have ever come up back then but then again Pony wasn't fifteen then was he? And he was growing up, he would have...sooner or later...I turned red, embarrassed for even thinking that.

I stopped outside and grunted. This damned trash bag was heavy. Why the hell does Darry always wait a few days before throwing the trash out? I looked up at the sky, the moon was full, a shiny ball hanging above me in the dark. I just looked at it and thought. Did Johnny ever do this? Did Dallas? I bet Johnny did. You can't be close to Pony and not do this thinking thing Pony always did. I doubt Dallas did. Its just...god, why did this even matter? Everything was so meaningless. Who died and who didn't. We're all going, one day. We're all going. Just going. "Soda. You there?" a voice called out and I whipped around in time to see Darry come out. "I wondered what was taking you so long." he walked over. "What's wrong , little buddy?" he asked, slinging an arm across my shoulder.

Darry

Soda shrugged and my arm went along for the ride.

"I'm worried about Pony." I said softly.

"You too?"

"Yeah. Are you?"

"Of course. he's just a kid, Dar."

"I know but its just...I don't know, its like he isn't anymore or is already not." I tried to put my jumbled feelings into words but ended up confusing myself more.

"I dig but he's still him. Just 'cause he's into girls and all doesn't mean a thing. Its not like he'll run out on us."

I stayed quiet. How did he know so quickly that was what I was afraid of?

"You're not serious, Darry? Pony would never. He wouldn't."

Soda shook his head, utterly convinced in his belief.

"I know, Soda but little buddy, I can't help worrying."

I said, my throat felt tight.

"He's still a kid, Dar."

"And even if he isn't, he'll always still be our kid brother huh?"

"Exactly. You savvy real good sometimes, big brother."

"I try." I smiled.

As we walked back together, the door swung open and Two-Bit's face grinned at us.

"What took you ladies so long? Guess what I found!"

Steve stood behind him, dangling a note in his hand. "No one's home today. Meet at my house?" he spoke in falsetto, smirking at Pone. Pony glared at him, looking ready to punch. "Ah, leave Pony alone, Steve .He ain't a kid so much anymore. "I said, ruffling Pony's hair. Pony turned to me, surprised before breaking out into a wide smile and cracked, "Yeah. Still. I'll always be your kid brother no matter what, unfortunately."

I squeezed him by the shoulders then and tried to ignore the strain in my chest.


End file.
